Canada is the third largest exporter of metallurgical coal in the world (after Australia and the United States), shipping most of the 27 million tonnes of metallurgical and thermal coal produced every year in B.C.
BHP Billiton-owned Appin coal mine in southern Australia will lock out its workforce Sunday amid tense negotiations with supervisors over a new corporate agreement.
Washington authorities claim no higher radiation levels have been detected at the site, but the leak could be in the range of 150 gallons to 300 gallons.